New bending technology helps custom fabricator increase throughput on low-volume press brake jobs

Bilan Metalworks fabricates low-volume architectural products and specialty parts using the Maglock magnetic safety press brake tooling system from Mate Precision Technologies.

Situation

Based in Pickering, Ont., Bilan Metalworks is a custom fabricator of small to medium-size design-build projects like stainless steel range hoods, shower enclosures, and kitchen racks for commercial, industrial, and residential use.

“We specialize in luxury residential products and more,” said President/Owner Chris Bilan. “Our focus is on the design and manufacture of quick-turnaround, turnkey solutions that are both unique and highly functional. On every job, we are challenged to be profitable in the face of low-volume projects and frequent, nonstop setups. That includes requests from contractors with an emergency need for a specialized component to complete a job.”

A relative newcomer to the fabricating world, Bilan Metalworks has been in business since 2018 and operates with a small but growing crew as its business expands. It all began when Bilan, with more than 20 years of industry experience, decided to leave his day job and pursue his love of fabricating high-quality products. And like many entrepreneurs in metal manufacturing, Bilan constantly looks for better ways to make them.

“A dozen components is a big run for us,” said Bilan, “so as you can imagine, we’re changing setups constantly. In addition, our press brake is only 4 ft. long and at times contains three different setups for a typical job. With conventional tooling, it’s practically impossible to seat this many sets of tooling at once without crashing. This is especially true using short tooling segments, something that’s almost unheard of with American-style tooling.”

Resolution

Then Peter Visser, Mate Precision Technologies’ regional sales manager, introduced Bilan to the company’s new press brake tooling: American precision style with the Maglock magnetic safety system.

Visser describes the system as “revolutionary,” in that there are no buttons, springs, or pins that can fail. As its name implies, the toolholding system uses a series of rare-earth magnets to hold punches in place. This approach makes it possible to install even large gooseneck tools in either the backward or forward direction.

Most important, the patented design eliminates the risk of a punch falling out of the upper holder, damaging the tool and possibly harming the operator. It sets up almost instantly using the magnets to attach and seat the punch to the holder with no separation between the surfaces. Because there’s no separation, there’s also no need to seat the tooling before use, a significant timesaver.

Seeing the value of the tooling, Bilan set aside thousands of dollars’ worth of conventional press brake tooling he had been using and switched to the new tooling design. He did this with a good understanding of how the tooling operates, dispelling some so-called myths, according to Visser.

“Some said the entire tool would become magnetized over time, or that the magnets would slowly lose strength. Others felt they would collect chips and shavings and be hard to clean. And as with any magnetic product, they had to certify that shipment via commercial air would be safe, and that people with pacemakers wouldn’t suffer ill effects due to the product’s strong magnetic field,” Visser explained.

“We’ve overcome these myths and controversies about the Maglock tooling,” he said. “Bilan Metalworks’ experience with Maglock is proof that these myths are false and that the tooling does everything we said it does.”

This stainless steel flush-mount mailbox has a color-matched powder coating to complement the window trim.

In use, with no need to seat the tooling, Bilan said what once took 10 minutes to do is now accomplished in just 10 seconds.

“I really like the flexibility of the reversible Maglock tooling,” said Bilan. “And because the Maglock system is sold by the inch, my operators can buy only as much as they need or replace a worn or damaged section as needed.”

Shelving a huge tooling investment a few months after its purchase would be a difficult decision for any manufacturer, but especially so for a startup company with limited cash flow like Bilan Metalworks. “I bought the Mate Maglock tooling a couple of months after the machine,” Bilan explained. “And I’d already invested maybe $40,000 in competitive tooling brands, but I won’t use any of it now unless there’s no other choice.”